“Kohana-san, what is wrong?”
“It’s Haru-san,” she said, her expression one of fear.
“What’s wrong?” I cried, struggling to my feet, my meditation forgotten.
“Something’s got him, it is awful, a monster a…,” she lingered on the words, “A youma!”
Jiao spoke up, incredulous at Kohana’s words. “Are you serious, Kohana-san? Those are stories, but-“
“Come on, story or no, can’t you see Jiao-san, she saw something, and I can assure you, some things defy our knowledge of the true nature of reality. Trust me. I know.” He bowed, more attentive now. I had risen to my full height and despite the fact, I was an eleven -year-old girl, I held the respect of all when I called upon my power. “So let’s go!”
“I will bring my katana just in case,” he said, bowing, the gesture surprising me, as he was usually more stubborn than this.
I nodded and rushed past him following Kohana.
On the Torii, Akimoami Kisho, having delivered his last paper round of the week, wiped the sweat from his brow and rang his bell, raising a hand in greeting as we hurried towards the street.
“Need any help? I felt the tug of the loom; I detect something coming from the industrial quarter abutting the housing estate.” Kisho indicated with the folded newspaper he’d kept aside for himself to look up college application information and read the comic strip.
“Okay, come on, we have to get moving!” I said, as we moved at speed along the sidewalk.
Broken glass lay on the road, fires sprang up, and smoke made visibility poor. I felt the danger more than knew where it lay. I followed my instincts and felt Agni’s power rising in me as I paused for breath and held up a hand to the others behind me.
“I sense a great darkness here, something very dangerous. You guys stay behind me,” I said, but Kohana rushed ahead, I let her go as she was being guided, as was I by her kami-sama.
I took in our surroundings, the atmosphere was so oppressive, but I was ready as the tendrils of flame began to twirl about my hands in readiness for battle.
Kohana stopped dead in her tracks, I caught up, and my eyes almost doubled in size.
“Let’s each recite the Akuryou Taisan incantation!” I said, squeezing her shoulder, not sure, which of us was more scared.
“Right!”
We hurled the scrolls at the monstrosity that under normal conditions should not exist in Newton’s universe. It was a Kraken, legendary beast of Greek myth, here in Juuban Prefecture. We had no time to process all this as the armor-plated creature rose to its full height and trumpeted a growl that reminded me of the Rex in Jurassic Park. We repeated the incantation and hurled more scrolls and these, for now anyway, immobilized the youma.
“Kohana, step back and keep generating your power I will try and get its attention.”
“Be careful Rei, its way bigger than us you know,” she said - the tremor in her voice evident.
“I will, now focus!”
The dark green tail of the creature flicked like a whip, every now and then smashing into a wall, demolishing it or knocking a tree or lamppost from their roots, sending these into nearby warehouses. People had long abandoned the site and it was difficult to say how long the youma had been here. Where had it come from and who sent it? I did not know, but I would find out if possible.
The single-eyed giant towering over two luxury units, or what was left of them now shells of their former glory. The kraken bellowed. For the moment, the ugly butthead was unable to advance towards us. I knew we wouldn’t hold it back for long. People’s lives were in danger. We had to act fast. As it began to move, the ground shook with a violent shudder with every footfall the Kraken made.
“My katana is useless here, Rei-chan,” Jiao exclaimed, sheathing his prized silver blade and stepping back.
‘Find the fire inside your heart my daughter, you are Senshi, call upon the fire in your deepest recesses. Can you feel it stirring at the base of your spine my child?’
“Mother Agni, please lend me your guidance and power!” I said in response.
‘Summon the firebird to come to your aid!’
“It has Haru! He is unconscious! Oh Rei, please can you help him?” Kohana pleaded, generating a ball of silver fire to hurl at the youma.
“I think so,” I said, bringing the palms of my hands together. The monster was in torpor as the result of the use of more of our magical scrolls and Kohana’s silver Sphere attacks.
I then summoned my Phoenix Goddess, “Fenghuang, Fire Bird of Mars, I call upon you to come to my aid!”
I had become a being of pure flame as Fenghuang emerged from my solar plexus and took flight growing to three times the size of the Kraken as she rose above the desolation below. My friends stood back, not wishing to be scorched by the waves of ethereal heat coming off my body as I summoned her, the golden bird so beautiful.
“She can’t attack while it has Haru. Rei, what are we going to do? I don’t think it will hesitate in killing him if we attack!”
“Amber Encasement!”
I looked to the pile of rubble and to my surprise, I saw a girl with chestnut hair, an aura of emerald light around her tall Amazonian figure, in her tank top and knee length skirt, hands extended, as a golden globule of something shot across the void and struck the kraken in the head. Then, to my surprise and pride, Deimos and Phobos in their winged forms swooped in, Deimos thrusting an onyx javelin in the monster’s eye and Phobos catching Haru and spiriting him to safety.
“My turn!” I cried, giving the strange girl with lightning rippling over her body a victory sign.
I called upon Fenghuang to breathe fire upon the dying monster struggling within the fatal grip of Makoto’s Amber Attack. The fire stream hit the leviathan and all that remained was a pile of ash.
“Hi, and um, thanks?” I laughed. “Hino Rei and you are?”
“Kino Makoto at your service, daughter of Jupiter and you’re a Senshi like me, oh ace!”
“Yes, Mars is my element and power.”
“Pleased to meet you and whose your friend with the katana and the guy on the cool mountain bike?”
“Oh him…,” I said, looking at him with a wry grin, “That is Jiao-san. He’s a mage and pain in the butt. That is Kisho, our resident seer; I also have the gift of prophecy. He’s the oldest of our group at thirteen pushing fourteen. He is getting sooo old!” We all laughed.
“Hey go easy on me you guys. I am aging with grace you know!” he smirked.
“I know, but careful of those gray hairs now. Don’t forget to check in the mirror each day.” I poked out my tongue and batted my lashes. He sighed and looked to the heavens as if seeking help from the Kamis to know how to deal with his fire-gifted friend.
I smiled and turned to Makoto, “I am eleven and you?”
“The big one-two, twelve. I think we’ll all get along fine!” Makoto declared hugging me.
Deimos and Phobos, wings folded behind their backs, then approached, giggling. “Oh Mako-chan, my guardians, my crows, or crow girls… Oh shit, just girls with wings like crows,” I laughed, “Deimos and Phobos, my protectors.”
“Hi Kino Makoto. Rei is not normally so tongue tied,” Phobos said, as she and her sister broke into giggles.
Kohana and Haru were now laughing at my expense.
“All right, all right you guys! Keep it nice,” I protested, and smiled at my friends.
Deimos gave me a big hug. “We all love you Rei, but if you bring us back two chocolate shakes, Phobos and I will love you more,” she winked.
“Okay, I know you girls can’t show up at Crown Arcade so you’ve got a deal. You did great today and I am very proud of you both.”
“Arigatou, Rei,” Phobos said and Deimos nodded her agreement.
“Oh Rei, who is your Kami-sama?” Makoto ventured.
“Agni is my Kami guardian, but she only appears in her physical form on rare occasions What about you?”
“Jupiter, he appears as an electric blue being, pretty awesome too. He is kind of cool as he likes to show up during thunderstorms!”
“Awesome!” I paused and turned to Kohana and introduced her to Makoto, “And this is Kohana, my cousin. Kohana, Kino Makoto,” I was beaming, “Oh and she is the senshi of ethereal fire - kinda runs in the family and her kami is Electra.”
“Hello, Mako-chan; Rei saved me the trouble of all that intro stuff; I love her for that!” she said, extending her hand and the other girl took it.
“Nice to meet you, Kohana. I think we will all become good friends. Let’s go somewhere to talk. You know Crown Arcade?”
“Know it, we practically live there! Yes, let’s go and chill out guys. I get so tired after these battles.”
We left the area just as the city’s emergency services kicked in. The fire trucks, police and television crews talking to frightened onlookers. We figured this a good time to make a discreet exit.
I also had some idea there were more of us, we’d not all met yet, but I knew that would soon change and sooner rather than later as it turned out.
